


Kryptonite

by Tarlan



Category: Eureka (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 18:11:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9914876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: The scientific pursuit of invisibility was deemed illegal but Nathan was willing to break the treaty to save Jack.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Goes AU at the end of the episode 209 Sight Unseen
> 
>  **Hurt-Comfort Bingo** February Amnesty 2017 Challenge:   
>  I was given the following prompts: confession in desperate situation, forced to participate in illegal/hurtful activity, invisibility.  
> For the Wild Card I have chosen: experiments by evil scientists

Research into full invisibility was forbidden under an international treaty following the 9/11 attack. Every country agreed it had too many nefarious uses, with each considering it a potential threat to both national and personal security even though the biologists had tried to expound on its benefits too, such as the ability to get closer to animals in their natural habitats. Nathan had disbanded the team working on invisibility long before Warren King took over as Director of Global Dynamics, but Nathan should have suspected King of duplicity, allowing Phillips - a shady CIA operative and scientist - to continue on with the research alone. Phillips had created the perfect cover by appearing too scary to others, keeping anyone from questioning his actions. He'd worked alone in his laboratory. Only one other person had ever entered and even then by invitation only, and that was the employee everyone called the Poop Guy - the man responsible for cleaning out the small animal cages.

The day had started out so good too, crushing one of Carter's cherished childhood memories of seeing the moon rocks in a museum, only for Nathan to fall under the charm of Carter's boyish enthusiasm moments later.

Kryptonite.

That summed up Carter perfectly. He was Nathan's kryptonite, stealing away his strength of will and control with a worried, wide-eyed gesture or a carefree smile. Half the town already loved the man, and the other half were either working on a growing respect for their clownish, intellectually challenged Sheriff or running scared because Carter had a way of cutting through all the technical jargon and revealing the truth hidden beneath. Most of Nathan's scientists were good people trying to do good deeds, but a few came under the umbrella of 'evil scientist', seeing the ends justifying the means. Those scientists had the most to fear from Jack Carter, but they were also the ones who arrogantly believed someone with a lower intelligence like Carter could never catch them in their wrong-doing.

They were so wrong.

Nathan didn't consider himself an evil scientist but Carter had a way of making him look and sometimes feel like one. He hated that, especially as it brought a shadow of doubt creeping into Allison's eyes whenever something went wrong with any of his pet research projects. Admittedly, he had caused a few problems in the town under the best intentions, protecting his scientists and their experiments, or protecting Kevin, but he wasn't going to admit that to anyone, especially to Allison or Carter. It didn't make him evil, just human.

Either there was an accident or Phillips had decided to experiment on himself before testing all the side effects, and before creating a reverse formula to make himself visible once more. Instead of seeking help he'd tried to fix the problem himself, and paid for that hubris with his life, starting a chain of events that led to Carter falling into the same predicament.

Invisible, and dying.

Once more Nathan had been forced to participate in an illegal activity but for a valid reason, working with Cally to produce a counter agent to the invisibility formula before the radiation killed Jack. By rights they should have all stepped back and allowed Jack to die, and they wouldn't even have to worry about hiding the body afterwards, but this was Jack. No matter how many times he announced his annoyance, frustration, and general dislike of the man, he always felt a measure of panic whenever Jack was in danger. Allison was confused by his slightly antagonistic relationship with Jack, but he had a feeling Henry knew what Nathan was afraid to acknowledge openly, because Henry was one of the few people who knew Nathan wasn't as straight as most believed. He'd never told Allison because he couldn't trust her not to use it against him one day - just one more dark secret standing between them.

He remembered Henry's words the other night as they watched the meteorites burning up in the atmosphere.

"Why, Nathan? You were never happy with Allison. If this is because of Jack-."

"Allison's out of his league," he had interrupted abruptly but Henry had merely smiled almost fatuously.

"But not out of yours."

Henry had changed the subject right after but the words had sunk in deep, reminding him of all the ways Jack brightened up his life with just his annoying presence, and how easy they fell into bickering and banter especially when Allison wasn't present to remind them of their strange rivalry over her. And what had Henry meant by his remark anyway? That Jack was in Nathan's league, or that Nathan was in Jack's league? Or maybe he meant it both ways. The thought shouldn't have sent a thrill of anticipation skittering through him, but it did, and that scared Nathan because he had come back to Eureka with a plan to win back Allison and now he was torn between her and the stupid yet handsome new sheriff.

He looked back up from his latest calculations and caught Cally looking longingly towards Jack, who was only visible because Allison had insisted he wore a full bodysuit with hood. Blue like his eyes, except even they were invisible right now. Jack had his back to them both fortunately, or he might have seen the jealous glare Nathan leveled in Cally's direction before he caught himself and blanked his expression. It was a startling revelation though, proving Henry might be at least half right. He wanted Jack.

Allison entered the laboratory, her mouth a tight line of indecision as she stared hard at Jack. Nathan knew that look all too well and approached her, blocking her off from view as he leaned in. 

"Don't do it, Allie."

"I don't have a choice."

"We are so close."

"We shouldn't be doing this at all," she countered in a harsh whisper. "I have to protect Global Dynamics-."

"Allie," he pleaded. "Don't do this."

"Nathan."

The fear of losing Jack grew exponentially and for a moment Nathan thought he might be physically sick at the thought; another revelation that cut deep, filling him with desperation and a knowledge he had fought so hard to deny.

"Allison. Please don't... I... I'm in love with him," he confessed, almost as shocked by his words as Allison, especially when he realized the truth in them.

Confusion chased away the shock on her face followed swiftly by anger, which he deserved. He tensed, expecting a backlash of harsh words but before she could unleash all of her hurt and pain on him, Cally called out.

"I have it!"

Nathan spun on his heel and strode back, reading through the formula. There was only one safe way to test this out and that was on the skin of Zoe's car. Deliberately he ignored Allison as he soaked the square of skin in the solution, some of the fear easing inside his chest as it became visible. The car skin was close but it was not human skin, and it took all he had to stand back and allow Cally to be the one to place it on Jack's face, hoping it would re-sequence his cells back to normal. With relief he watched the radiation levels in Jack's body slowly drop as his skin absorbed the solution from the car skin and he became visible once more.

Once more Nathan walked away before Jack could offer any thanks.

Later that evening he joined Allison and Kevin for their regular 'family' meal, a little surprised she hadn't called it off but the reason became clear when Vincent passed him moments later with a shrimp cocktail decorated with a sparkler. He glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of Jack dining with Cally. One whole year since Jack took over as sheriff in Eureka; one whole year since they first met. Nathan glanced back at Allison to find her smiling too brightly and he knew this was her way of 'punishing' him for his earlier confession.

"Tuesday," Kevin stated, and Nathan looked up to find Jack standing beside him.

"Definitely need a bell on you," Nathan murmured, recalling an earlier incident.

For someone who could be so clumsy he could also be remarkably silent on his feet.

"Hey, Aristotle," Jack smiled at Kevin, and Nathan wondered at the odd greeting, especially as Kevin appeared to like it. "Allison," he nodded, looking nervous. "Nathan, can I have a word with you... in private?" he asked.

Allison had a secret smile that always meant trouble.

"Sure," Nathan replied, standing up and following Jack to a quiet corner of Cafe Diem. "What can I do for you, Carter?" he asked, keeping his tone light and impersonal.

"You can stop pretending you don't have feelings for me, for starters." He kept his voice low.

"I have no idea what you're talking about... as usual."

His jaw twitched in annoyance. "Allison told me."

Of course she did, Nathan thought, because he had hurt her and Allison wanted him to feel the same burn of humiliation. What better way than to reveal his secret to Jack.

"And I'm kind of hoping it's true," Jack stated quietly. "Just don't hit me if it's not," he added as he reached up and drew Nathan down into a kiss.

His head was spinning by the time Jack pulled back, his ears deafened by an unnatural silence, and that's when he realized it really was silent. Everyone had stopped talking and they were staring at him and Jack. Nathan could do one of two things. He could punch Jack and walk away, or he could kiss him back. As his lips crushed against Jack's he dimly heard the sounds of cheers and claps, feeling Jack's lips smiling against his as they pulled apart again.

Nathan looked around, not surprised when he saw Allison leaving the diner without a backwards glance. She wasn't vindictive by nature and he knew she would be happy for him and Jack once she'd had a chance to take it all in. He just needed to give her a little space right now.

Wrapping his arm around Jack they moved to a quiet booth at the back of the diner that had, magically, become available, though Nathan suspected Vincent had a hand in that. As they held hands across the tabletop, Nathan looked into Jack's blue eyes, at the handsome man who had turned his life upside-down.

Jack was his kryptonite, but it had taken Jack becoming invisible for Nathan to see him clearly for the first time. Now he could see him he planned to never let him go.

END  
 


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